Until recently, Stewart Lee was still flogging his own DVDs in the foyer after
his shows, but a couple of BBC2 series of Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle and a pair of 2011 British Comedy Awards have taken him on to the next level, a state of affairs that doesn’t sit entirely comfortably with this most contrary of standups.
On Carpet Remnant World ★★★★★, Lee brilliantly plays off this awkward dichotomy, dividing his audience into those who ‘get’ his multi-layered deconstructionism and those who are only there because they’ve seen him on the telly, explaining to them: ‘I’m so good at stand-up, I make it look as if I can’t do it.’
The show’s thrust is that Lee is devoid of material, since he spends his days either driving up and down motorways to gigs or watching Scooby Doo with his young son. So he’s taken to cruising London’s North Circular in the vain hope that something funny will happen, thereby neatly mocking the observational style of comedy favoured by so many successful stand-ups.
Only Lee could get away with writing a show about not having a show, but he pulls all the threads together with such understated aplomb that you can’t help but marvel at his utterly distinct approach. Really, it’s ridiculously good.
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Al Murray, Comedian
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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John Robins, Comedian
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Pudabaya, Twitter
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Brighton Argus
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Stuart, Chortle
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Idrie, Youtube
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Mearecate, Youtube
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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FBC, finalgear.com
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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World Without End, Twitter
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Keilloh, Twitter
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork